Liberal Democrat Edward Davey has successfully defended his Kingston and Surbiton seat with a majority of 7,560, a reduction of just 1,406.

Mr Davey’s victory comes on a night when the Lib Dems under-performed after a strong showing in the pre-election polls. Fellow local Lib Dem Susan Kramer lost her Richmond Park constituency to the Conservatives.

Speaking after the count Mr Davey said: “It’s a slightly better result than expected, given what’s happened all over, and the context.”

Mr Davey has been the MP for Kingston and Surbiton since 1997 when he won the seat with a majority of only 57.

In 2001 he increased his majority in to 15,676 but this fell to just under 9,000 in 2005.

Unlike many of MPs in this election Mr Davey was unaffected by the expenses scandal after he was labeled one of the ‘saints’ by the Daily Telegraph.

The main competition to Mr Davey came from Helen Whately of the Conservatives. Ms Whately’s leading campaign issues were ‘local schools for local children’, ‘tackling crime and anti-social behaviour’ and ‘supporting local shops and businesses’.

There were around 4,000 more votes for the Tories compared with 2005, roughly a 3.5 per cent increase.

Ms Whately said: “It has been a good night for us. We fought a strong campaign and I'm happy with the result.”

A key battleground of the campaign has been Kingston Hospital. There were rumours that a review by NHS London would recommend closing the Accident and Emergency unit and the maternity ward.

The publication of the report has been delayed until after the election yet the rumours have made the hospital a focus for local candidates and a symbol of the NHS nationwide.

During the campaign Mr Davey has been joined at the hospital by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, whose son was born there in 2009.

Mr Clegg’s wife, Miriam González Durántez, has also visited Kingston Hospital recently, although her visit had more to do with her broken elbow than political campaigning.

Mr Clegg isn’t the only leader to have visited Kingston Hospital in recent months.

When Conservative leader David Cameron visited the maternity ward in April he said: “We are going to get rid of that review and keep investing in this hospital.”

This was seen by the Lib Dems as a U-turn after the Conservatives had initially accused the Lib Dems of scaremongering over the future of the hospital.

Zac Goldsmith, Conservative candidate for Richmond Park, had previously said: "I've seen all the people in a position of knowledge and all of them without exception have said this campaign is deeply irresponsible.”

Mr Davey said: “The other parties came round to our point of view. Having Cameron here is a campaign success.”

Mr Davey also campaigned on issues such as the number of primary school places, more NHS dentists and lowering the speed limit on the A3 to 50 mph.

The results in full:

Edward Davey (Lib Dem): 28,428 (49.78 per cent)

Helen Whately (Conservative): 20,868 (36.54 per cent)

Max Freedman (Labour): 5,337 (9.3 per cent)

Jonathan Greensted (UK Independence Party): 1,450 (2.5 per cent)

Chris Walker (Green): 555 (1 per cent)

Monkey the Drummer (Monster Raving Loony Party): 247

Anthony May (Christian People’s Alliance): 226

Turnout: 70.67 per cent.